Teacher says she was fired from Catholic school for getting pregnant out of wedlock

by Jade Jarvis

COAL TWP., NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WOLF) -- A Northumberland County teacher is now out of a job.

She says she was fired from Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School after telling the principal she is pregnant and not married.

Naiad Reich declined to speak with us on camera today, but says that meeting happened last Tuesday.

Instead of congratulating her, Reich says the principal was upset -- all because Reich and her boyfriend are not married.

“I think that its judgmental and in this day and age we should be able to move past the whole having to be married before starting a family, starting your life,” Stephanie Kephart, of Shamokin, said.

From there, the principal contacted the Diocese of Harrisburg, and then Reich was told that if she didn’t have any plans to get married in the near future she would have to be let go.

She was fired on Friday.

“I think it was the wrong move to make. I think that that’s an institution that should be based on tolerance and understanding. Things do happen nowadays. And bottom line, its religion, that’s where the basis of that religion kind of started in my opinion. I think they should have been a little bit more tolerant to that,” Douglas Kuhns, of Shamokin, said.

The Diocese of Harrisburg said in a statement to FOX56: “The Diocese of Harrisburg is unable to comment on personnel matters. However, as outlined in our policies, every professional employee agrees to follow the teachings, doctrine, and laws of the Catholic Church as part of the hiring process.”

Under its personnel policies, the Diocese says employees can be terminated for a number of reasons with immorality ranking as the first.

Reich says she and other employees are required to sign a morality clause, and was told her pregnancy was immoral by the standards of the Catholic Church.

“I think that its just preposterous. We’re in 2018, 2019, you know, its time to move forward,” Kephart said.

Reich says she holds no ill will towards the school, and just hopes they find someone to fill her spot quickly so students can get back to their studies as soon as possible.